It's too soon to say whether Oregon City will expand it
undersized Carnegie library. That's up to voters who will decide on May 20 on a
$6 million bond measure that will pay for most of the project.

But the city is optimistic the measure will pass and hired
an architect, Sid Scott of Scott Edwards Archtecture, to design the building.

Scott, was the architect on the Sunnyside Library in Happy
Valley, briefed city commissioners Tuesday on how he'll
approach the Carnegie-expansion project.

Scott said he will be consulting with library users. Later this month he'll spend time at the library in what he
called a "move in and understand phase" to get an idea of how the space is
used.

Once a week, Scott will set up a "studio" inside the library
where people can stop and share their thoughts with him or someone from his
firm. And there will be other opportunities for patrons to offer their ideas, he said.

Merging the old and the new while preserving park space will
be one of Scott's challenges.
The Carnegie is "an iconic building in the middle of a
park," he said.

"We want to keep as much of the park as possible," said
Commissioner Carol Pauli.

Last year, another architecture
firm produced three drawings depicting different designs.

Commissioners discussed those options Tuesday and there was
no clear preference.